Two of the absolute best Super Middleweight boxers in the world — pound-for-pound great, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, and undefeated challenger, William Scull —will lock horns TONIGHT (Sat., May 3, 2025) inside The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The occasion will mark the eleventh time that the Mexican champion has fought on Cinco de Mayo weekend, including the fifth year in a row. Of course, combat sports fans have all been clamoring for Canelo vs. David Benavidez, or failing that, perhaps Terence Crawford (who we’re supposed to get later this year).
To no avail.
The face-punching action starts with the DAZN-streamed pay-per-view (PPV) main card (watch it here) kicking off in the evening around 7 p.m. ET and the main event tentatively scheduled to start around 11 p.m. ET.
Can Scull shock the world?
He would be one of the biggest betting underdogs in boxing history if he’s able to pull it off. He’s younger, he has less mileage on his body, and he has height and reach advantages. Can he do what Dmitry Bivol did six fights ago? He’s no Bivol, but boxing has had shockers before. He counters well, flurries occasionally and has a decent right that looks good when he extends (watch highlights here).
For Canelo, this is a grand chance to re-unify all of the belts again. He had to vacate the IBF belt to face Edgar Berlanga, and Scull scooped it up by defeating Vladimir Shishkin back in Oct. 2024.
Canelo Alvarez vs. William Scull QUICK RESULTS:
Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull — Alvarez def. Scull (115-113, 116-112, 119-109)
Badou Jack vs Norair Mikaelian — Jack def. Mikaelian (115-113 x2, 114-114)
Bruno Surace vs Jaime Munguia — Munguia def. Surace (117-112 x2, 116-112)
Martin Bakole vs Efe Ajagba — Ajagba and Bakole fight to a majority draw (96-94, 95-95 x2)
Canelo Alvarez vs. William Scull LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Canelo Alvarez (c) vs. William Scull (c) for Scull’s IBF middleweight title and Alvarez’s WBA (Super), WBC, WBO, and The Ring super middleweight titles
Round 1: Canelo in blue, Scull in gold and white. Slow, feeling out round so far halfway through. Scull tries a combo, can’t break through the defense. Scull looks quick, but not quick enough to hit something other than glove. I’m not sure Canelo threw five punches that round.
10-9 Scull
Round 2: Honestly, that first round should be 0-0. Finally Canelo throws and lands a good right to the body. Another one. Scull with a body jab. Nothing in Scull’s arsenal seems to faze Canelo at all. Another right to the breadbasket for Alvarez.
10-9 Alvarez, 19-19
Round 3: Scull throwing out more strikes now, but not landing a single thing clean. Canelo has been… judicious to be polite about his output, but he’s at least connected on a couple things. Alvarez not throwing anything right now.
10-9 Scull, 29-28 Scull
Round 4: Canelo closes and gets in a shot to the body. Again to the body. Scull gets a right in.
10-9 Alvarez, 38-38
Round 5: Scull gets in a nice uppercut. Probably the cleanest shot he’s had all match. Canelo taking a step back for a moment, but Scull not capitalizing with any thrown punches. Canelo backs him up to the ropes and glances in a combo. Alvarez to the body again. Scull answers back to the guts. Canelo says “anything you can do” and hits in the center mass again.
10-9 Alvarez, 48-47
Round 6: Scull with a nice shovel hook. Both hit the body. The only thing Canelo’s landed cleanly has been a right body shot, but he’s landed it hard in at least 4 rounds now. Scull jab and one from Canelo.
10-9 Scull, 57-57
Round 7: This fight is so middling that the booth is taking a full minute to rail all over the IBF and their mandatory rankings. Canelo with a left to the body, Scull counters with a half-hearted right on the way out. Scull a left at the belt line. A jab.
10-9 Alvarez, 67-66
Round 8: Canelo lands to the body and dodges an uppercut. A left, too. Scull with a jab and on his bike. Canelo to the body, Scull flurries off the ropes, but it looked like it all hit arms.
10-9 Alvarez, 77-75
Round 9: Canelo hits a low blow and gets a warning. Scull misses a right, gets hit with a liver shot. Scull with a 1-2, not sure anything got through. Canelo 3-2 to the body and it looked like both landed. Canelo glances a left. Scull gets his left blocked. Canelo right up top as the bell sounds.
10-9 Alvarez, 87-84
Round 10: Scull with a counter right. Canelo to the liver. Scull finally throwing a few things here for a minute before going back on his bike. Canelo mostly blocks a right, some of it gets through, I think.
10-9 Alvarez, 97-93
Round 11: The folks on the mic are giving Alvarez some of the blame on how this fight is turning out, and honestly, I kind of agree. Canelo hits down at the belt twice – both legal, but Scull complains. I really wish we had a different fight, but we don’t. Almost nothing landing for Scull, very little thrown by Alvarez, but enough to just outpoint him.
10-9 Alvarez, 107-102
Round 12: Canelo jabs the guts. Left hook counter lands, too. Canelo hits the hip there, ref misses that. Lands to the belly and Scull looks at the ref like he’s gonna do anything about that. Canelo with two to the body. To the body again. And again. Again. Again.
10-9 Alvarez, 117-111
FINAL RESULTS: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez defeats William Scull
Badou Jack vs Norair Mikaelian
Round 1: Mikaelian in white and red, Jack in white and gold. Circling and jabs are about all we’ve got early. There’s a right from Jack. Mikaelian lands a jab. Right to the body. Very little here.
10-9 Mikaelian
Round 2: Mikaelian hits the back of the head and gets a brief talking to from the ref. Mikaelian hitting air repeatedly. Jack pops in a couple jabs. Mikaelian evades a right, but doesn’t get his return fire in clean either. Nice right hand by Mikaelian, probably steals the round.
10-9 Mikaelian, 20-18 Mikaelian
Round 3: Mikaelian clips in a right again. They both land rights, Mikaelian also flurries to the body. Jack gets a right, circles past Mikaelian and wraps around a left. Right-right-right by Mikaelian. Mikaelian upping his volume. Jack gets in a right. Jack gets in two rights. Now Mikaelian flurries, including one after the bell.
10-9 Jack, 29-28 Mikaelian
Round 4: Mikaelian nice right to the body then upstairs with the same limb. Jack shells up under a Mikaelian flurry to the body. They pop jabs to each other. Again. Short right by Jack. Both men crack the body. Mikaelian with a brief flurry at the bell.
10-9 Mikaelian, 39-37 Mikaelian
Round 5: Mikaelian to the body, Jack responds in kind. Mikaelian 2-1-3 combo. Decent counter left, too. Jack gets in a couple hooks to the body. The commentary team points out Mikaelian has a mouse under the right eye. Jack gets a nice right and circles behind him. Mikaelian right.
10-9 Jack, 48-47 Mikaelian
Round 6: Jack with a good right hand. Another. Now a left. Some of Jack’s best work here. They clash heads. Another short right for Jack. They go back and forth with jabs. Now trading to the body.
10-9 Jack, 57-57
Round 7: Jack stalking center ring. Hits the body. Slower output from both men. There’s a 3-piece from Mikaelian, but he then immediately circles away. Mikaelian holds Jacks’ arm down and gets a warning from the ref and some cheeky dirty boxing from Jack.
10-9 Mikaelian, 67-66 Mikaelian
Round 8: Jack’s body work has paid some dividends as Mikaelian’s slowed down a bit. There’s a pair of jabs by Mikaelian. Left hook, too. Jack lands a sneaky right. Jack with some dirty boxing. Now a nice right. Mikaelian not being effective on the back foot. Left by Jack at the bell.
10-9 Jack, 76-76
Round 9: Jack 1-2, then 1-2 to the body. 1-2 Mikaelian. Another. 4 jabs by Mikaelian. Now a right. Lefts from both men. Ref talking to Mikaelian for what looks like normal clinching to me. There’s a nice counter right by Mikaelian. Mikaelian body-head. Jack returns fire.
10-9 Mikaelian, 86-85 Mikaelian
Round 10: Mikaelian with a clean jab. Both men to the torso. Ref finally talks to Jack about a weird clinch. Mikaelian with a volume combo, then a right. Mikaelian circling, really needs to stop if he wants to get success. Jack answers a body flurry with a left hook. They trade small shots in tight. Jack jacks the jaw of Mikaelian with a right.
10-9 Mikaelian, 96-94 Mikaelian
Round 11: Jack comes out with some pep in his step and immediately hits to the guts. Mikaelian with a right, Jack clinches and gets some shots in. Good right by Mikaelian. Another right catches Jack coming in. Jack with a left in the clinch. Ref has let Jack hit late a few times, but if that’s how it’s going, good on Jack for taking it. Jack with a low blow and the ref separates them.
10-9 Mikaelian, 106-103 Mikaelian
Round 12: Mikaelian working his right. Answers a Jack shot with a left. Left by both. Mikaelian right to the body. Mikaelian just standing still in a clinch and Jack pops him. There’s some work from Mikaelian in the clinch. Nice right-left by Mikaelian with twenty seconds to go. Flurry by Mikaelian, He gets in a left and Jack lands a right as we end.
10-9 Mikaelian, 116-112 Mikaelian
FINAL RESULTS: Badou Jack defeats Norair Mikaelian by decision
Bruno Surace vs. Jaime Munguia
Round 1: The story on this fight is can Surace pull off the enormous upset again, or can Munguia get his career back on track. Surace in white, Munguia gold with red & green trim. Surace with a good jab to start. Surace 1-2 clips in, but is deflected by gloves. Surace lands a right. Munguia not throwing much so far two minutes into the round. Lefts by both men and another to the guts by Munguia.
10-9 Surace
Round 2: Slow round here for both men. Each hit to the torso. Jab Munguia. Jab-uppercut by Surace. Munguia lands a jab.
10-9 Munguia, 19-19
Round 3: Munguia on the advance and he’s popping out some volume now. They clinch and Munguia gets home a right hand. Overhand to the edge of the guard lands for the Frenchman. Another one. Munguia digs to the ribcage. Munguia with two 1-2s, but it hits glove. Surace’s right hand appears to sneak around Munguia’s glove again.
10-9 Surace, 29-28 Surace
Round 4: Munguia is slowly turning up the volume just a bit. Conversely, Surace’s output is slowing down as he’s looking for well-placed counters. Slow round as both men are being judicious on defense. Good counter right by Surace.
10-9 Munguia, 38-38
Round 5: Munguia punches the hip which gets a bark from the ref. Jab to the right side of the face of Surace. The volume from Munguia has slowed down again. Once more, Munguia goes a bit low, but nothing from the ref. Jab by Munguia at the bell.
10-9 Munguia, 48-47 Munguia
Round 6: Munguia 1-1-2. Surace to the breadbasket. Munguia gets Surace to the ropes and he hits to the ribs. Surace and Munguia both hit a right. Low blow from Munguia, another warning by the ref. Munguia with a left. The volume from Surace has dropped precipitously. Surace clips a right.
10-9 Munguia, 58-56 Munguia
Round 7: There’s a right by Surace. Munguia dodges a 1-2. Munguia clips the body. Surace hits a right uppercut. Munguia lands the 1 in a 1-2. Both men glance in lefts. Munguia flurries to the body at the bell and Surace gets in a swing just late. I think Munguia got in a left and Surace’s return left just brushed him.
10-9 Surace, 67-66 Munguia
Round 8: Munguia left to the body. Jab from both men. Surace with two more. Munguia’s overhands hit glove every time, while many of Surace’s get around the guard. Munguia just doesn’t have quite the tight defense just yet. More body punches from Munguia.
10-9 Munguia, 77-75 Munguia
Round 9: Jab by Munguia, Surace with a right to the stomach. Munguia with volume, Surace clips that right again. Munguia covering up after his offense – he doesn’t want a repeat of last match. Surace left-right. Munguia blocks a jab, eats a non-committal right a few seconds later. That repeats a few moments later as the round ends.
10-9 Surace, 86-85 Munguia
Round 10: That right hook from Surace at least partially gets in every time. He should throw it more often. Munguia gets him to a corner and he gets in a left to the ribs. Surace fires off, but that was more to just back Munguia up, rather than land a clean shot. Munguia with a wide right and Surace responds with one to the body. Munguia gets in a nice body shot. Munguia lands a right.
10-9 Munguia, 96-94 Munguia
Round 11: Jab from Surace. 1-2. Jab-uppercut. There’s a nice right by Munguia. Munguia jabs to the body. Left by Munguia, Surace to the liver. 1-1-2 by Munguia and the 2 got some real estate. Better round by Surace, but still a Munguia round for me.
10-9 Munguia, 106-103 Munguia
Round 12: Munguia’s corner imploring him to maintain his discipline here and not get caught. Another low blow by Munguia and this gets a time-out and a finger wag by the ref this time. Surace needs to go for broke. Two big swings from the Frenchman. Surace lands a left. Munguia doubles up on his left. Munguia swings four punches, Surace with a pair. He needs to go for broke, but doesn’t.
10-9 Munguia, 116-112 Munguia
FINAL RESULTS: Jaime Munguia defeats Bruno Surace by decision
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